stain
Translation
stain, mark, blemish, dye
Examples
He has a coffee stain on his shirt.
He has a coffee stain on his shirt.
We used a dark stain for the wood floors.
We used a dark stain for the wood floors.
The scandal left a stain on his reputation.
The scandal left a stain on his reputation.
Grammar Patterns
a stain ((on sth.)) There's a stain on the carpet.
Similar Words
Synonyms: mark, spot, blemish (for a mark); dye, pigment (for colouring)
Etymology
From Old French 'destaindre' (to remove colour), the opposite of 'teindre' (to dye). The meaning shifted to refer to a mark of colour.
Memory Tips
Imagine a spilled drink will 'stay in' your clothes, leaving a mark. Or a wood 'stain' helps the colour 'stay in' the wood.